


Dreamland

by MagpiePair



Category: ONF (Band)
Genre: Crying, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Minkyun POV, Nightmares, Park Minkyun | MK-centric, Platonic Cuddling, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-14
Updated: 2021-01-14
Packaged: 2021-03-12 06:40:33
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,850
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28756029
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MagpiePair/pseuds/MagpiePair
Summary: Minkyun has been having trouble sleeping, plagued by terrifying nightmares. The others won't let him suffer alone.
Relationships: Kim Hyojin & Park Minkyun | MK, Lee Changyoon | E-Tion & Park Minkyun | MK, Lee Seungjun | J-Us & Park Minkyun | MK, Mizuguchi Yuto | U & Park Minkyun | MK, Park Minkyun | MK & Everyone, Park Minkyung | MK & Shim Jaeyoung | Wyatt
Kudos: 28





	Dreamland

It always starts so innocently. Running through fields of flowers while singing. Blowing bubbles with Seungjun. Playing beach volleyball and beaning Hyojin in the face.

But, however silly or sweet the dream begins, it always twists into something sour or terrifying before long. Something which sends Minkyun's heart seizing, leaving him panicked, flustered.

The flowers turn into thorns- Minkyun trips and cuts his throat, then he loses his voice. "You're kicked out," the rest of the group tell him in frightening unison. Their voices seem like poison as they tell him they never cared for him.

The bubbles grow large and unruly, and one encircles and takes away their milk boy. Minseok floats away, hands against the confines of his prison, kidnapped by some unknown force. Minkyun knows where this particular fear comes from. 

When the volleyball bounces off of Hyojin, there is blood, so much blood. Hyojin looks up at him in betrayal and whispers something he can't hear before he walks away, the rest following without sparing Minkyun a backward glance. Leaving him behind.  
  
Minkyun jolts awake from another such nightmare, and he takes a moment to catch his stuttering breath. He looks to see if he has disturbed anyone else's rest, but they all still seem to be slumbering peacefully. He rips off his blanket, suddenly too sweaty and heavy to bear it, and his eyes blink back into consciousness as if to chase away the memories. But the dream lingers like a stain in his mind. 

He is no stranger to such things. He was plagued in a similar fashion during No.Mercy. But he hasn't had to deal with such a sudden spike in frequency or intensity since joining his groupmates in ONF. 

The dreams will go away soon. They have to, he tells himself. He tries to believe in his own thoughts.

\--

"Minkyun-hyung?" Yuto is cautious as he approaches. Minkyun jerks his body from his position hunched over by the window. He thinks Yuto's hesitance is unwarranted- sure, Minkyun knows he has been acting off lately, but they are still brothers. Yuto could probably say anything to him and Minkyun would accept it with nothing more than a laugh. 

"Are you feeling okay?" the younger boy tries. Minkyun notes with a muted interest (most of his feelings are muted lately with how sleep-deprived he feels) that their other bandmates are listening intently to the conversation. They try to seem discreet, but Changyoon's perch on the couch belies how he has stopped reading his book. Jaeyoung has also paused in retrieving the carton of orange juice from the fridge, and he has in fact left the refrigerator door open. The light seeps out, and Minkyun eyes it just to have something to focus on other than Yuto's worried face or his other members' poorly hidden concern. 

"Yeah, why do you ask?" he responds once he is able to inject some cheer into his voice. The corners of his lips tug upward in some approximation of a smile, though the ill-fitting expression feels as though it is splitting his face in two. 

Yuto pulls off a pained look then. "You don't really look okay." 

Hyojin doesn't seem to share the others' reluctance to pry or get involved, because he gets right up into Minkyun's space. "Don't lie to us," he pouts. "Have you looked in a mirror recently? Cause those eye bags are only getting worse." 

Seungjun also does not seem afraid to speak up. He drapes himself over Minkyun's back, the unexpected action causing Minkyun to squawk ungracefully. Seungjun's arms wrap around his shoulders, and Minkyun unconsciously leans into the warm, comforting touch. "Plus, you've been quiet, and you keep staring off into space. Seriously, what's up with you?" 

Minkyun swallows down past the lump in his throat. He shouldn't be getting so choked up over the simple display, so emotional over their little kind gestures that show they notice him. His mind supplies him with oh-so-helpful images from his dreams of them not caring for and abandoning him, as if to explain his reaction. 

"I'm okay. Just been having some trouble sleeping," he admits. 

"Then you should have told us about it. Let us help," Changyoon adds, having finally given up his facade of not listening.

"Okay, okay," he relents. He is not sure how they can really help alleviate the demons in his mind that play devilish tricks on him, keeping him from a good night's sleep. But if it makes them feel better, he will let them try.

\--

"AHHHHHH!!!!" Minkyun shoots up in his bed. His hand clutches at his chest, pulling at the fabric of his flannel pajamas desperately. 

In moments, Jaeyoung is at his side. His hands run through Minkyun's hair as he calls out to him. "Minkyun! Minkyun!" Minkyun finally is able to focus his eyes on the other, and his hands find purchase on the sleeves of Jaeyoung's shirt. He huddles into the other's warm embrace and sobs. 

Somewhere in the haze, he looks up to see the rest of his brothers gathered in the doorway. The light spilling through from the hallway is dim, but it is enough to see how Yuto's eyes well up in sympathy, how Hyojin's arm is outstretched as if to touch him, how Seungjun and Changyoon hold tightly to one another as their faces express uncertainty and panic. 

Jaeyoung realizes their presence as well, and though for a second he makes to dismiss them with a wave of his hand, at Minkyun's shake of his head, he stops. Lets them come in closer. Minkyun is grateful that Jaeyoung understands him without words. Their company is what he really needs right now, after a particularly terrible vision of them all dying.

"You didn't tell us you were having nightmares," Changyoon accuses, though his tone is gentle. 

"Sorry," he forces out through a ragged, raspy voice hoarse from sleep and crying. He exhales harshly, abruptly, but it must sound like he is about to sob again, because five sets of arms reach out immediately to wrap around him. He breaths out again, but this time it is with a short burst of laughter. Hyojin still looks terrified, but Seungjun joins him in laughing. Yuto follows suit not long after. 

Jaeyoung hasn't removed his arms or loosened his grip once during all this. Minkyun finds the touch rather grounding. In his deep rumble of a voice, Jaeyoung inquires, "Do you know what's causing them?"

Minkyun shrinks in on himself, because he does know. He's known for a few weeks now what triggers the nightmares, and he feels stupid because he knows they'll scold him once they find out. Not trusting himself to speak, or perhaps unable, he just nods.

"What is it, Minnie?" Jaeyoung prods by way of his words and nudging Minkyun's head with his own. 

He meets Yuto's gaze, finding his the easiest to hold during all this. He reaches out his hand in invitation, and he feels relief and a smile overtake him when Yuto's soft hand grabs his own. Minkyun takes a deep breath and confesses, "Uh... I tend to get nightmares after staying up late and... overworking myself."

As expected, Hyojin smacks his shoulder. "You've been doing that??""

Seungjun doesn't let up either. "And you knew it was giving you nightmares, but you kept doing it anyway?!" 

Changyoon's ire seems more internally-directed however, as he laments, "I can't believe I didn't notice..."

"It's not your fault," Minkyun interjects, ever quick to defend Changyoon's honor. "I was kind of... sneaking out to get to the studio? I have some things I need to work on, and I can't stop just cause my body and mind are being weak-"

"Hey! Don't call my Kyun-hyung weak," Yuto shouts. He seems to surprise even himself with the force of his yell. He squeezes Minkyun's hand tightly. 

Changyoon speaks again then. "You don't /need/ to work on anything at the expense of your health. Kyunnie, you're fine as you are!"

"Seriously, you're an amazing vocalist and dancer. We're all in awe of your voice. But if you jeopardize that by pushing yourself too hard, too far..." Hyojin doesn't finish his sentence. Minkyun gulps, filling in the blank. He knows nothing good lies ahead on this path, not only on overworking himself but also on then depriving himself of proper sleep. 

"Okay. I promise I'll cut down on the time I spend in the studio." He means it, too. He's done with these nightmares.

"And you think that'll help make... these... stop?" Seungjun's fingers wiggle as he gestures at Minkyun's head, clearly indicating his nightmares. Or at least clearly to Minkyun. 

"I hope so," is all he can respond with.

\--

It helps, but not enough. Minkyun still gets some nightmares. He is still frightened to sleep. He gets clingier. He is paranoid about them doing things on their own, remembering the nightmares of them getting kidnapped or dying. 

"What if we sleep beside you?" Yuto suggests. 

Minkyun looks at him as though the idea is novel, and it kind of is. He can't hide how hopeful he is as the rest reason through it. 

"Then you'll know there's nothing going wrong and that we're all safe," Jaeyoung says thoughtfully. 

"And I can make sure you're really not staying up too late overthinking and overworking," Hyojin teases through a bright, wide smile. Minkyun returns the grin. 

"Let's do it, then!" Changyoon says, latching himself against Minkyun's side and not letting go. "I'm tired of you being so tired. We need our high-energy mood-making sunshine back." 

"I'm still right here," Minkyun states as he defiantly noogies Changyoon in response to the other's rare show of affection. 

"You know what we mean," Seungjun lobbies back, and he really does. Minkyun wants the nightmares to get better not only for his own sake but also for the sake of the group and their happiness.

They cuddle together in the living room that night, and it does wonders. It calms him down considerably to be surrounded by them on all sides. Minkyun wakes well rested with nary a bad dream in sight. 

Hyojin discovers, almost entirely by accident, something else that helps. Minkyun blushes a little bit to think of it, but when Hyojin starts reassuring him, "You know those dreams about you failing or us rejecting you won't come true, right?" and the others follow suit, he feels himself getting a bit lighter. Their verbal encouragement and gentle touches fight with the voices in his head that tell him bad things will happen. He has been on this journey with them and so for long, and so how can he do anything other than believe them when they express so strongly that they would never leave him? That they love him?

Of course he loves them back just as much. Even more than he loves a decent night's sleep. Now, though, sleep and his brothers seem like a package deal. And maybe that's concerning. Maybe he shouldn't be so dependent on them. But he wouldn't have it any other way. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!


End file.
